Tropical Rainforest and Chocolate

General information

Destination	Category
San José, Costa Rica	Sightseeing Tours

Program details

Fact: chocolate releases feel-good chemicals into the body when eaten. Fact: looking at baby animals reduces stress levels. Do both on this San Jose tour of a rainforest and cacao plantation and leave happy and blissed out - high on chocolate and wildlife.

Visit Tirimbina Rainforest Center for a chocolate tour and discover the wonders behind one of the world’s most tantalizing foods — chocolate!



The cacao tree originated in Mesoamerica and has a rich and extraordinary history. En route to this amazing place, we will make a stop at La Virgen del Socorro (a private reserve) and lunch at the local restaurant owned by Doña Marielos. This San Jose tour will get you up close and personal to nature and noms, with a hike through the rainforest and a chocolate tour of the local cacao plantation. We’ll take private transportation through the Caribbean lowlands and Braulio Carrillo National Park to the Sarapiquì area, one of the best spots in Costa Rica to experience the many wonders of the tropical rainforests. Your certified naturalist guide will lead you through the highlands to La Selva Reserve – one of the best birding spots in Costa Rica. Part of a UNESCO Biological Reserve and with over 400 bird species spotted in the area, you’re sure to see some incredible little fliers. For an extraordinary experience in bird-watching and photography, we’ll head to the La Selva Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS). La Selva has been a pioneering site in education, research, conservation, and ecotourism in Costa Rica since 1963, and is one of the first private protected areas in the country, and together La Selva and the Braulio Carrillo National Park are part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. After you enjoy the amazing natural history of the tropical rainforests, flora, and fauna, you’ll head off to discover the secrets and marvels of one of humankind’s favourite foods – chocolate. With its origins in Mesoamerica, cacao has a rich and extraordinary history in this part of the world.



Our San Jose chocolate tour will include a visit to a cacao plantation to check out forest and wild species of cacao, as well as understanding the process of turning cacao into chocolate. Not to worry – after imbibing us with knowledge and information, we’ll actually get to sample some chocolate! We’ll enjoy a chocolate tasting of cacao and other organic chocolate products all made by the Association of Women Amazilia del Caribe, a local organisation. We hope you’re ready to taste some of the best chocolate on earth! After indulging in all that chocolate, we’ll visit an ant farm to discover the secrets of the most organised society in the Costa Rican rainforest - a leaf cutter ant colony. In our opinion, it’s the perfect way to end this Costa Rican nature, hiking, and chocolate adventure, before heading back to San Jose.



Language

English.

Redeem information
Voucher type: Printed
Printed Voucher. Print and bring the voucher to enjoy the activity. A printed voucher must be handed in prior to departure.

Location
Starting point:
La Sabana Metropolitan Park
At 6.30am at the main entrance of National Stadium.
National Theatre
At 7.00am at the main entrance.
Please contact supplier at least 24 hours prior to tour to arrange pick up.

End point: Same as starting point

Schedule
Opening dates
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Sunday

Duration: 10 Hours

Guiding options
Guiding type: Guide
Group type: Shared
Group size: 12 People

Requirements
Cancellation must be made 48 hours prior to day of tour. Please ensure you arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.